Face-plate for locks.



0. P. SPARKS.

PAGE PLATE FOR LOCKS; APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1905.

PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR. 7% QMTS EML.

- BY a'Z QWMT/K ATTORNEYS PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908. 0. F. SPARKS.

.FAGE PLATE FOR LOCKS.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1905.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

gum/Mo: WW6 m Al- -k 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 7

OLIVER F. SPARKS, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO SARGENT &COMPANY, OF

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT. i

FACE-PLATE FOR LOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER F. SPARKS, of the city and county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Face-Plates for Locks, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and in which Figure 1represents a front elevation of a lock embodying my invention, Fig. 2, aside elevation, the cap plate having been removed, and some of theoperative parts of the lock being omitted, Fig. 3, an edge view of thelock, Fig. 4, a similar view, showing the latch bolt and face plate intheir reverse positions, Fig. 5, a front view of the lock with'the faceplate removed, Fi 6, a view of the face plate, in detail, and Flgs. 7and 8, front and end elevations of a modified form of face plate.

In all figures, similar letters of reference represent like parts.

This invention relates to face plates for looks, and has for its objectthe production of a faceplate which may be utilized to cover the screwsholding in place the cylinder of the lock, and also the screws securingthe lock to the door, so that the face plate must be first removedbefore those screws can be reached. A face plate of any desired finishmay be applied to the lock and by the present improvement it is adaptedfor use on reversible locks.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description, the partsdesignated by the letter A "represent the casing of a mortise lock, andB the front plate, which is provided with the usual apertures for a deadbolt F and latch bolt G.. H designates a screw or screws, which projectinto the case and engage the cylinder I of the lock. As shown moreparticularly in Fig. 5, the ends of these screws project through thefront plate B, and are accessible from the front of the lock.

The latch bolt G is shown engaged with and adapted to be retracted bythe sliding yoke K, operated by thehub L from the knob of the door,while a lever M, pivoted to the yoke K, and engaged by a spring N, isadapted to normally protract the yoke K and latch bolt G. j, E,

O designates a tumbler which may be of any ordinary construction and isherein shown pivoted to the dead bolt F. The tumbler is operated by thebit W of the cylinder look I in well known manner. 5

The latch bolt G may be removed from the casing by retracting it againstthe tension of the lever M and spring N. It may then be reversed fromthe position shown in Fig. 3 to project in the manner shown in Fig. 4for application to a door swinging in the reverse direction.

P is a face or safety plate, adapted to be secured by means of screws D,or other means, through the holes Q, to the front plate B of the look.It is provided with a perforation R or perforations R for the bolts Fand G.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 2, the face or safety plate P coversthe ends of the screws S, projecting through the front plate B, andadapted to screw into the door.

Doors are generally made with a beveled edge, that is to say, that edgethrough which the lock is inserted. The edge is beveled in one directionfor a right hand and in the reverse direction for a left hand door. Alook, therefore, having a bevel to suit the requirements of a right handdoor would not be suitable for the bevel of a left hand door, unlessthere were some means for adjusting the bevel of the lock front. Theface plate P is beveled (Figs. 8 and 4.), so that at one lateral edge Tit is thicker than at the other end V.

When it is desired to reverse the bevel of the lock as, for example,from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, it is onlynecessary to reverse the latch bolt G, as indicated above, and uponremoving the screws D to place the lower end of the face place P at theupper end of the lock and replace the screws. For this purpose, thescrew holes for the screws I) and the slot R are arranged symmetricallyin relation to both ends of the face plate or safety plate P.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the beveled face plate Phas the openings R R to correspond with the latch bolts which are ofdifferent sizes and, therefore, the plate is reversed by turning thisface plate over instead of turning it from end to end, as in the otherform, and. as the wider edge is slightly' convex when so reversed thesides of the face plate will fit the sides of the lock front, so that itwill present a neat appearance in either position.

Having now described my invention, what Iclaim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s:

1. In a lock, the combination with the easing; of a front plate; a boltor bolts projecting through said front plate, one or more of said boltsbeing reversible; and a reversible face or safety plate adapted to fitover said front plate, and beveled transversely and having an apertureor apertures for said bolt or bolts in either positlon, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a lock, the combination with the casing; of a front plate; alurality of movable parts projecting through said front plate; a

reversible face or safety plate adapted to fit 15 ing said face p ate tosaid front plate, With 20 either end uppermost, substantially asdescribed. r

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 29th day ofJune, 1905.

OLIVER F. SPARKS. Witnesses:

W. A. RICE, L. F. BRUSE.

